Mamas, I’m beyond excited to introduce our newest contributor, OE. I first met OE in August of 2009, when I stopped her at Cherry Creek mall in Denver to take her picture for a Mom Street Style article. We got to chatting, I convinced her to join my mom’s group, and the rest, as they say, is history. Since moving to Philly, I’ve been keeping up with OE via her blog, Girl Meets Baby. I’ve cried reading about her son’s fight through a sensory processing disorder, I’ve swooned over pics of her 29th birthday surprise (best. ever.), and have been inspired by her (and Dave’s) gorgeous photography and unique way of looking at the world. These two know happiness – they define it for themselves.
Below, OE asks, “why would Shana trust me to be a consistent contributor to this incredible world she’s built? Quite honestly, I don’t have an answer for that. ” I think, once you get to know OE, the answer will be glaringly obvious. It is with so much pleasure that I welcome OE (and Dave and little Brooks, Lucas and Roman) to The Mom Edit. We are SO thrilled you’re here.
xo,
S
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Eek! Hi!
I am so beyond honored to join The Mom Edit team. No seriously, this is a crazy dream that’s somehow coming true for me. I feel like I’ve spent the majority of my “mom life” searching for a place to belong. A place that feels easy and comfortable. A place that I not only fit in but also get that sense of home — of belonging. As a lot of you know, those feelings are hard to come by. Especially these days, when your first kid might come as early as when you’re a teenager or as late as when you’re in your early 50’s. Nobody’s on that cookie cutter path anymore — at least in my bubble. And there’s a lot of women no longer adhering to the formulaic “mom path”. And that, in itself, is so inspiring and beautiful. But, it also creates a high probability that you dive into the big bold adventure of being a mom much more alone. And for those of you that are fortunate enough to have that group of friends or neighbors or sisters who are all doing this together, good for you! (I’m beyond envious). But strangely enough, even without that support, I have found my place. That sense of community and belonging. On the internet. In writing. In my own blogging. In connecting with other mommas who see the world the way I see it. Who see the world through the eyes of their little ones. And for all the “you’re a mom blogger?” comments (insert scornful young girl with no kids) or trolls that show up in comments and break you down, it doesn’t sway that this place can be an incredible thing.
But then — inevitably — I found myself venturing from lifestyle/mom topics over to the fashion world of blogging. And the beauty industry (Don’t get me started on the amount of time I waste watching YouTube makeup videos!). I’ve been all about sharing the ups and downs of parenting, but I’ve never really been a contributor to the fashion / tastemaker side of blogging beyond the occasional guest post. So why would Shana trust me to be a consistent contributor to this incredible world she’s built? Quite honestly, I don’t have an answer for that. Maybe I’ll get lucky every once in a while and spot the “next big thing” for you, your kids, or your home. But (more likely) I’ll try and point you to the practical ways of incorporating existing trends in a way that feels approachable and — hopefully — inspiring. Maybe you’ll find yourself saying,
“Shit, she’s right, I can totally wear sky-tops to school pickup!”
I’ve come to the practical approach to trends the hard way. I’ve tried the kind of fashion where you glance in the mirror before walking out the door and have to convince yourself “kids? what kids?”. If you’ve ever been on the playground in 6 inch heels then you know what it feels like to sink into mulch and find yourself in some sort of nature-forced flats. And, of course, I tried the whole “my body is still the same as before I had kids!” delusional mentality. And you’ve also been there if you’ve ever played hot wheels on the floor in low cut denim (its race track not race crack). Did it somehow get higher up my back after pregnancy? Or, you’ve maybe worn an old shirt to your kid’s soccer game and, when cheering, discovered that your favorite T is now your favorite crop top that reveals the literal visual remanence of the “miracle of birth”.
Which Brings Me To This Opportunity
What makes this even sweeter — you see — is that Shana herself opened up this whole new world of fashion for me. A mom. Who wants to follow trends. Who feels better about herself when she tries a little harder than plain jammies or yoga pants. Who has learned to love, embrace, and find “creative solutions” for the post-pregnancy body types. Not only a yes to being a mom but also a yes to fashion, trends, home decor and beauty.
The Mom Edit — to me — is truly the definition of having it all.
My mom side believes in living for my kids. In putting their needs first. In pouring every last drop of myself and my love into them. My three kids are the very beat of my heart. But — and this is key for me….
There’s my girl side. That believes in feeling good as a mom both on the inside and the out. I’m a better mom when I look good. When I am confident. When I don’t feel all “dead mommy”. When my kids are dressed cute — I do realize this probably sounds shallow. When my home can still look passably cool even though it’s a total mess. It just gives me a little more energy, confidence, and pride in myself and my little family. It’s the quiet whisper of,
“Girl, you’ve got this”
So let’s do this together. Let’s share tips and tricks that make this crazy world a little more mom friendly. Especially in fashion, in beauty, and in your home. I may not be your style. But I hope that with anything I post, you at least walk away with that same feeling I get when I am inspired — Girl, you’ve got this.
Ok, I’ll Wrap With My Setup
I am OE. My real name is Anna Marie but my brother couldn’t say that when we were little and he called me Anna “ohweee” and it just stuck. So yeah… OE. I am a mom to three kids. Brooks is 6 this month, Lucas is 4, and Roman (my girl!) is 2. They are awesome in that perfect combination of so-rad and constantly-falling-apart. Most days we’re a hot mess. It’s not uncommon for me to clean up breakfast dishes late at night. But we have fun. A lot of fun.
I am a mountain chick from Denver and my fashion pretty much lines up with that. Casual. Wearable. With lots of added elements of interest. I am not a size 2 — not even close. But for some reason I always gravitate to style for the lucky people who are. So I’m full of “hacks” for making trends and styles work. Some of the time it’s just shopping smarter. Some of it can be a little DIY to correct proportions. But mostly it’s camouflage. And kids fashion is no different. I’m all about dressing kids in that perfect mix of what I want them to wear and what makes them feel confident to take on this big world.
Again, I am absurdly excited. I’ll do my absolute best to try and live up to the other incredible contributors here.
Introduce yourself in the comments! I would love to get to know you!
Wearing
Warning: almost all Madewell — promise more originality to come 😉
Shirt: Madewell Cozy Shirt in Ember Plaid — if you at all have a pooch like me, this will be your best friend!
Pants: Skinny Skinny Jeans: Biker-Zip Edition by — you guessed it — Madewell — Love them so much I am on my third pair after 2 worn out crotches, hot right? (And they’re majorly on sale!)
Necklace: Arrowstack Necklace from Madewell (again). The black and gold I am wearing is no longer so this gray and gold is supes hot but I am intrigued by the resin.
Boots: Ugg’s Cold Weather ‘Becket Buckle’ Boots — Though I warn you that what you see in the pics have been totally hacked for some proportion-control (I’ll post about that soon!)
Belt: The belt I am wearing is my husband’s because I like big thick belts, but this Free People Women’s Desert Leather Belt is def my next purchase, similar in size, and is actually targeted towards women, so that’s cool.
The Bag: Unfortunately, this bag isn’t online anywhere that I can find. But, it’s by an amazing little company called Nell & Mary and the Matchstick Carryall Tote Bag is quite similar and damn cool
xo — OE
